About EAST

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY

East Asia School of Theology (EAST) was established by Campus Crusade Asia Limited in 1992. The school is committed to providing men and women with a Christ-centered theological education and to equip them for ministry. The primary purpose is to glorify God by equipping leaders for the Great Commission in Asia. EAST has graduated over 130 Christian leaders. About 95 percent of them are actively serving in diverse mission fields in Asia, Africa, America, Australia, and Europe.

MISSION

The mission of EAST is to develop and equip Christian leaders for the fulfillment of the Great Commission in East Asia and around the world. The school equips Christian leaders to be passionate spiritual multipliers committed to growing in Christ-likeness, learning and living out God's Word, and communicating God's Word effectively.

VISION

EAST is committed to become a theological school of excellence that develops biblically- grounded leaders of spiritual movements for the global harvest.

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

By the grace of God the faculty and staff of EAST commit themselves to:

1) Live godly lives and be above reproach as required of leaders by the Scriptures.

2) Model a love for God and His Word and a commitment to His authority over our lives.

3) Emphasize the integration of academics, character development, and ministry involvement.

4) Provide an environment that will help students develop as spiritual multipliers.

5) Demonstrate academic integrity and excellence by thorough preparation and effective communication of relevant information.

PRIORITIES AT EAST

In order to accomplish the mission of EAST, the school provides an educational experience that places high priority on the following values:

  • Transformation of life

    The goal of the EAST experience is to see personal transformation and growth in the life of the student. Underlying all that we do is the purpose of equipping our students with a solid biblical foundation of knowing God and His Word: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…" (Rom. 12:2). We believe that Christian ministry should spring from the overflow of a vital and intimate relationship with God. Therefore, the development of the character traits and biblical convictions found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are emphasized both in the classroom and in ministry situations.

  • Integrated Education

    In order to develop effective disciple-makers and leaders of spiritual movements, EAST helps each student develop an effective personal ministry so that he can integrate biblical truths and ministry skills in situations similar to those that he may encounter after graduation. There is thus an emphasis on the student's field education experience. The development of each student's ministry is monitored and evaluated to help him sharpen his ministry abilities. Our desire is that each student will be able to master skills of evangelism, discipleship, and other leadership skills that would enable him to be an effective spiritual leader.

  • Community Life

    EAST seeks to develop an environment that promotes growth through caring interpersonal relationships, accountability, encouragement, and acts of grace, forgiveness and kindness. This is only possible when there is a shared commitment to apply biblical truths concerning how we should relate to one another in the community of faith. The student body comprises students from different nations representing different cultures of the world. Each student brings with him his unique cultural experience that creates challenges for cross-cultural adjustments, yet this also enriches the overall learning experience for the community.

  • Modelling by Faculty

    EAST is committed to a mentoring model of education. In order to develop a strong relationship between students and faculty, the student/ faculty ratio is kept low. Faculty members serve as mentors to their students, teaching and modelling a lifestyle that demonstrates faith in God, a deep walk with God, ministry proficiency, godly character, and academic excellence. Every resident faculty member, for example, models faith as a missionary teacher by trusting God to provide for his needs through raising his own finances.

  • Global Vision for the Great Commission

    EAST aspires to develop in each student a passion and vision for reaching the world for Christ. In collaboration with missions organizations and local churches, EAST continually exposes its students to the global harvest field. Through interaction with missionaries, sharing of field experiences, regular prayer times for missions, and missions assignments and course work, students have their vision enlarged and their burden for the harvest field deepened.

  • Equipping of Spouses

    EAST considers the spouses of its students to be partners in ministry. There is an emphasis of this familial commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to Christian service. We therefore seek to equip married couples to work together as a team while in seminary in preparation for a lifetime of ministry together upon graduation. The Partners-in-Ministry programme is designed to encourage spouses to grow in biblical knowledge, Christian character, and ministry skills. As the spouses of our students grow, they will be better able to complement the students' ministries and the overall effectiveness of the family is enhanced.

ACCREDITATION AND AFFILIATION

The East Asia School of Theology has been operating with the approval of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Singapore since August 1992. EAST is accredited by the Asia Theological Association (ATA) to offer the Bachelor's and Master's degrees. EAST is also accredited by the Association for Theological Education in South East Asia (ATESEA) to offer the Master of Divinity Degree. In addition, EAST is a member of the consortium of International Schools of Theology and the International Leadership University (ILU) of Campus Crusade for Christ International.

EAST is one of the founding members of Asia Graduate School of Theology (AGST). AGST is a consortium that offers higher degree ThM and PhD. It is made up of schools from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, God's infallible written Word, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that it was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written without error (inerrant) in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it speaks.

We accept those large areas of doctrinal teaching on which, historically, there has been general agreement among all true Christians. Because of the specialized calling of our movement, we desire to allow for freedom of conviction on other doctrinal matters, provided that any interpretation is based upon the Bible alone and that no such interpretation shall become an issue which hinders the ministry to which God has called us.

We explicitly affirm our belief in basic Bible teaching as follows:

There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:18; John 1:1-3, 18; Acts 5:3,4.

Jesus Christ is God, the living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect deity and true humanity united in one person forever. John 1:1,14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-37; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:6-11.

He lived a sinless life and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone. 1 John 3:5; 1 Peter 3:18; John 10:17-18; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 4:10; Romans 3:24-26.

He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He had lived and died. 1 Corinthians 15:4-14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:24-29.

He ascended bodily into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own. Acts 1:9-11; Ephesians 1:20; 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 7:24, 25; 1 John 2:1, 2.

Man was originally created in the image of God. He sinned by disobeying God; thus, he was alienated from his Creator. That historic fall brought all mankind under divine condemnation. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:15-17; 3:1-24; Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22.

Man's nature is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God. Every man is in need of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1-7; Mark 7:20-23; John 3:1-21; Titus 3:5-7.

The salvation of man is wholly a work of God's free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works of goodness or religious ceremony. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justifies them in His sight. Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:21-26; 9:30-33; Galatians 3:1-14; 22-24.

It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit, but is produced by the witness of the Holy Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written Word. 1 Thessalonians 1:5; John 1:12; 1 John 5:9-13; Romans 8:14-17.

The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of spiritual birth and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power and control are appropriated in the believer's life by faith. John 16:7-15; Titus 3:5; John 3:5-8; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 3:2-3; Romans 8:2-4.

Every believer is called to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit so that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God. Galatians 5:16-25; Ephesians 5:18.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith. Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

God admonishes His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for participation in ordinances, for edification through the Scriptures and for mutual encouragement. Hebrews 10:23-25; Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Corinthians 12:20-28; 16:1-2; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 3:16, 4:2.

At physical death the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting glory and blessing. 2 Corinthians 5:8, Philippians 1:23-24; Luke 23:39-43; 1 Corinthians 15:12-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 John 3:2; Philippians 3:21.

At physical death the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgement and condemnation. Luke 16:19-31; John 5:23-29; Revelation 20:10-15; Matthew 13:40-43.

Jesus Christ will come again to the earth - personally, visibly, and bodily - to consummate history and the eternal plan of God. Acts 1:9-11; 3:19-21; Revelation 19:1-22; 21.

The Lord Jesus commanded all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to disciple men of every nation. The fulfillment of the Great Commission requires that all worldly and personal ambitions be subordinated to a total commitment to "Him who loved us and gave Himself for us." Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:7-8; Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 2:19-20; Philippians 3:7-21.

Back to top 		History & Philosophy Mission Vision Commitment to Excellence Priorities at EAST Accreditation & Affliation Doctrinal Statement